Valve operating device



' Feb. 9, 1932. w. H. PAuLsN VALVEl OPERATING DEVICE Filed Dec. 13

Patented Feb. 9, 1932 l l UNiTED STATES PATENT. orrica WALTER II.PAULSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HARRY D. LATHROP, OF

4 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS VALVE OPERATING DEVICE Application 'filed December13, 1829. "Serial No. 413,795.

This invention relates to valve operating means, and 1t has moreparticularly to do with a device of this character for use 1n con`necticn with the valves which control the application of the treatingfluid in machines for washing milk` cans and the,` like, and othermechanism wherethe valves are subjected to continuous and rather roughusage.

rllhe invention has for its principal object to minimize wear upon thepermanent operating parts of the valve mechanism and to secure an easyyet positive automatic actuation of the valve controlling mechanism,together with adjustability. Other objects and advantages to be attainedwill hereinafter more fully appear.` The invention consists in the partsand in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter describedand pointed out with 'C particularity inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming ypart of this specification andillustrating a practical adaptation of the invention,-

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan View of a p0rtion of a can washing machine,in the region of the controlling valve thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in cross-section, ofthe parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is adetail View of the supplemental valve operating elementdetached; and

Fig. 4 is a detail View of the adjustable bracket for the supplementalValve controlling element.

Referring now to thedrawings, the numeral 5 designates generally one ofthe side frame members of a can washing machine which, as shown, is ofangle iron section. Ad jacent to the frame member 5 are the usual canguide members 6, below which are located the parallel trackways 7 saidguide members 6 and traclway members 7 being of angle iron section andsuitably supported in the frame ofthe machine by obvious means, which itis deemed unnecessary to illustrate in the drawings. Cooperating withthe trackway members 7 is the usual can feeding mechanism comprising thereciprocatory carriage members 8 which ride on rollers 9, frag-` mentsof said rollers only being shown. The

mittently engaged by the respective pairs of pawls 12 during thereciprocationV of the feeder frame on the rollers `9, whereby the cansare fed successively through the machine. different places throughoutthe length of the machine, where the respective cans are brought to restmomentarily during the reciprocation of the feeding mechanism, they aresubjected to washing` and sterilizing treatments by having directedthereon and therein jets of cleansing and rinsing solutions or water,either hot or cold or both hot and cold 1n alternation, and finallysteam treated and dried by the application of heated air.

In machines of the above noted character the various controlling valvesfor the diiferent treatments are actuated automatically by theengagement of the respective cans with a lever or tripping devicedisposed in the path of the can, and it is in connection with this partof the machine that the present invention is more particularlyconcerned. As shown in the drawings, the controlling valve 111 is of theself-closing check type, and is usually provided for the purpose with aspring element (not shown) for yieldably holding the valve in closedcondition. Connected to the valve 14 is a nipple extension 15 which, inpractice, is connectedthrough a suitable pipe to a source of supply,which may be either a tank of cleansing solution or an ordinary waterservice pipe. At the opposite side of the valve isa pipe 16 which isconnected to the usual perforated discharge pipes or nozzle members (notshown), from which the jets of cleansing solution or rinsing water aredirected upon thecans, or, ob

.Artl

viously, said valves may control the steam sterilizing and the dryingtreatments.

The valve 14 is provided with the usual normally projected stem 17 withwhich the cam portion 18 of the actuating lever 19 is adapted tocooperate, said lever 19 being hingedly supported on a stud 2O (seeFig. 1) extending upwardly from the horizontal flange of the framemember 5. Normally, the lever member 19 extends transversely over thecan trackway of the machine, and it is yieldably held in this positionagainst a stop element 21 which is secured to the adj acent can guidemember 6 and projects upwardly therefrom, a spring 21 being provided forthe purpose, said spring being coiled around the pivotstud 2O with oneof its ends bearing against a stud 22 on the lever arm 19 and itsopposite end portion bearing against a stud 23 on the horizontal flangeof the main frame member 5. It will thus be seen that as the respectivemilk cans come into engagement with the lever arm 19 overhanging thetrackway, said lever arm is rocked on its pivot 20, thereby bringing thecam portion 18 into engagement with the end of the valve stem 17,whereby said valve stem is forced inwardly and the valve 14 is opened.

Obviously, due tothe continued sliding engagement of the cam portion 18with the end of the valve stem 17, there is bound to be considerablewear upon either or both of said parts, which will eventually affect theoperation of the valve to an appreciable extent and, furthermore, owingto the rough usage to which these cooperating parts are subjected inmachines of the character herein set forth, said valve stem is liable tobecome bent so as to interfere with the proper operation thereof.'V Tothis end, therefore, the invention consist-s primarily in theinterposition of a supplemental wear plate 24, preferably composed ofsheet metal of some degree softer than the metal comprising either thevalve stem 17 or cam 18. This supplemental wear plate, of course, isnecessarily movably mounted to compensate for the operation of thecooperating cam 18 and valve stem 17, and, preferably, it is hingedlymounted and it is also adjustable, to bring different portions thereofinto cooperative engaging relation with the valve stem 17 and cam. 18.

Preferably, the supplemental valve operating member 24 is hingedlymounted on a stud 25 projecting upwardly from a bracket element 26,which latter is-mounted on the main frame member 5 of the machine. Asshown, the bracket member 26 is provided with a vertical elongated slot27, through which the screw-stud 28 is projected from the verticalflange port-ion of the main frame member 5, said stud 28 having a wingnut 29 thereon so as to clamp the bracket member 26 in differentvertically adjusted positions. Obviously, by raising and lowering thebracket member 26, different portions of the supplemental valveoperating plate 24 are brought into working range of the cam 18 and theend of the valve stem 17. As a convenient means of hinging the plate 24on the stud 25, it has its end portion 30 rolled, as more clearly shownin Fig. 3 of the drawings.

By the interposition of the pivotally mounted plate 24, not only is theactuation of the valve stem 17 accomplished in an easy and smooth mannerand without any tendency to bend and thereby cause binding of the stem17, but, as hereinbefore set forth, there is the further advantage inthe adjustment of said plate 24 to compensate for wear rupon the platein any one spot.

Obviously, the structural arrangements of the device and its particularapplication and use, admit of considerable modification withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein describedand defined by the appended claims. rPhe invention, therefore, is notlimited to the specific oonstruction and arrangement shown in theaccompanying drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a valve having a normallyprojected reciprocatory operating stem, a pivotally mounted actuatorelement having a cam portion working transversely Vin cooperativerelation to the end of said valve operating stem, and a supplementalelement comprising a plate of metal interposed between said valveoperating stem and the cam portion of said pivotal actuator element,said interposed plate being pivotally mounted and adjustablelongitudinally of its pivotal axis.

2. The combination of a valve having a reciprocatory operating stem, anactuator element having a cam portion movable transversely of the endportion of said valve oper-- ating stem in cooperative relation thereto,a n adjustable sup porting bracket, and a supplemental plate pivotallymounted on said supporting bracket and being interposed cooperativelybetween said valve operating stem and the cam portion of said actuatorelement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specilication.

VALTER H. PAULSON.

